* General Dynamics won the Ground Mobility Vehicles 1.1 competition for US Special Operations Command (SOCOM), with a contract worth up to $562M over 7 years.
* According to a draft planning document seen by Bloomberg, the Pentagon may fire more than 6,000 civilian employees in the coming fiscal year (FY14) while big ticket procurement programs would see relatively moderate cuts, in case sequestration is fully implemented for another year.
* The Obama administration appears resolutely committed to dithering in its response to yesterday’s apparent chemical attack against civilians by the Syrian regime, a year after stating that “that’s a red line for us and that there would be enormous consequences if we start seeing movement on the chemical weapons front or the use of chemical weapons.” Some form of punitive action seems to be among the options on the table, if these allegations – which the regime and its allies deny – are deemed true.
* China’s People’s Daily portrays Japan’s large helicopter carriers as something more:
“According to military experts, with the formal commissioning of the Izumo, together with two “Hyuga” class helicopter carriers formerly outfitted as destroyers, Japan will in fact have three quasi-carriers. If equipped with F-35 fighters they will become full aircraft carriers.”
* The Philippines want to modernize their military but that is easier said than done.
* 3 Pakistani soldiers were killed by Indian fire yesterday in Kashmir, sustaining tensions revived since August 6 when 5 Indian soldiers were killed in dubious circumstances.
* The US Army is asking contractors what additional information they might need to bid on a potential Armed Aerial Scout (AAS), though they are making it clear that it does not mean they have actually decided to pursue the program. To the extent the government agrees to release the requested documents, they will do so by October in a future RFI amendment.
* Medal of Honor nominee Staff Sergeant Ty Carter, talking about PTSD:
“I didn’t believe it was real until I experienced it. I thought it was just an excuse to get out of duty … but once it hit me, and I realized it, I was blown away. How could I be so ignorant?”
* In the video below, meet the man who cooks roads & chews up concrete in the British forces in Afghanistan. British sappers are taking samples from new roads built with Western funds in Helmand, to make sure they’re properly made:
